Updates (March 16, 2025)

I lived disconnected from the Vietnamese community here in North America.

In Canada where I am born, I never reached out to Vietnamese living here until 2021. I was born in 1984 and did not contact Vietnamese born in Canada until 37 years later.

This is what I have learned today.

• Life is a daily grind. BUT I learned today it is a “Vietnamese-Canadian grind”. As a Vietnamese born in Canada I don’t have the supports out in the field as I am the first Vietnamese born after the Vietnam War. But this shouldn’t matter. Everyone once they get older and experienced realize you do what you like when you were young. The dreams of youth are what drives you till old age … The supports that I have in Canada enable me to follow my dreams. I got stuck thinking life was 9-5 and working routine until you get a professional position. But it is not when you realize life in Canada is actual thinking thinking.
• Anyways, the Vietnamese born in Canada have this overhanging thinking that controls their lifestyle. At first I did not understand it. It is the grind of “working and studying”. But recently I understood it as a daily grind of doing “thinking work and thinking life”. That is the thing that never reached until I socialized with smart hardworking Vietnamese who understand both sides of the coin. Life is a struggle but it ain’t. The pathway is already written. It is to study and work and do your thing until the daily hard grind is normal in a Vietnamese way.
• The Vietnamese way is knowing that you have your family and relatives, you are doing what you like and can. You have no supports really out in the community. You have to rely on yourself. But you still have Vietnamese relatives and friends throughout America/West.
• But as an old guy winging it in Canada, I felt the problem of doing everything on my own for decades. But after 4 years talking to Vietnamese born in Canada, I feel normal in the Vietnamese-Canadian way finally. I have people listening and supporting each other as it is normal and just daily life trying to live in Canada. No surprises just trying to live and get along as a Vietnamese in Canada but now with other Vietnamese-Canadians support.

The pathway is written for every person really. But the Vietnamese connection and longing is what I needed.

It is just do what you can and take the time to do it good and right as a Vietnamese born in Canada with its supports.

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The more computing and math you do, the more you can handle life. OR …

All of this above ain’t possible unless you build the foundation and base of logic and doing something great and that has value.

Doing something unique and means something to you is really all that matters to grow and build a foundation of life.

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The Vietnamese relatives in Vietnam don’t really understand the layers of life in Canada/West I think. Unless they get really old and have travelled they see the complexity of life in the West.

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If you don’t grow and learn, I realize I might think bad. People outside will think bad and think bad of you. Growth is essential. Growth is essential for everyone. Growth and understanding and learning many facets.

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When you get really old and wise … just know things. There might be an angle everyone “negatively projects” when you are outside. When you are young you are treated like a youngster with no idea and clue what is going on in the world.

But when you get old, some old folks project the most negative things possible to hold their position in the world. That is the reality of getting old and walking around enjoying coffee sometimes.

That is why old people stay home (45 – 65 years old …). The outside world is for “youngsters” mostly.

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How is it to grow as a Vietnamese born in Canada?

Yes I lost my marbles. Lost it several times.

I grew up Canadian and since 2015 I have been learning how to see different perspectives.

Also learn at different mature points too.

At the end, you rest on living alongside other Vietnamese born in Canada to save your mind.

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At rest now and understanding Vietnamese-Canadians, how is my life?

My life is the life I wanted when I was in grade school.

I knew that it was almost impossible to do 2 things at once. You can not do thinking work and normal work at the same time.

I knew that it would takes years and years to learn enough to do the things I want. I did that and did more.

What do other Vietnamese think of my life? I think they understand my pathway to achieve the high level of thought and doing. It requires decades after university or if you started at 9 years old with family and Vietnamese community support.

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Also that is the thing, when everything is calm and relaxed (years and years after you are old and gained your skills and experience), you still do your thing what you wanted when you were 5 years old here in Canada. That is the greatest thing about living in Canada.

I guess that is what Vietnamese from Vietnam want to hear and see. You can actually do your thinking and development here in Canada in peace and quiet here.